Managers not getting enough sleep, says study

Tags: economic crisis | insomnia | lose sleep | managers | sleep

Written by Emily Tan

Monday, 25 May 2009 00:00

Feeling cranky in the mornings? Perhaps you’re being kept awake at night by the state of the world’s economy. If so, you’re not alone. A survey has shown that the average manager sleeps 19% less than the recommended eight hours a night, and of those surveyed, 40% blame the economic crisis for their lack of sleep.

The recent study by Royal Philips Electronics surveyed 2,500 managers in the UK, Germany, the US, Japan and the Netherlands on their sleep habits and the impact of sleep on health and quality of life. The online poll was conducted in March.

Sixty-one per cent of respondents said lack of sleep had negatively impacted their work. Fifty-eight per cent reported being less able to concentrate; 51% said they had less patience; 49% had less enthusiasm; and 25% said it impaired their judgement. Sleepless in Seattle (and elsewhere in the US): American managers are more likely than others to lose sleep through work stress

Sleepless in Seattle (and elsewhere in the US): American managers are more likely than others to lose sleep through work stress

It’s not just work that suffers — 34% of respondents said lack of sleep negatively affected their family relationships; 25% said it affected sexual relationships; and 19% said it affected friendships.

On average, each respondent estimated 6.2 days per year were impacted by inadequate sleep — costing companies around the globe millions. In the UK, 6.7 days per year are affected by lack of sleep, causing companies to lose nearly £850 (RM4,607) in productivity per manager per year. The study estimated that with 4.3 million managers in the UK, the cost to the economy could be as high as £3.63 billion a year.

The US economy is taking a toll on managers there. The study found that American managers are more likely than other nationalities to lose sleep through stress at work, with 30% citing it as the reason they wake up at night. They are closely followed by Germans (27%), Britons (24%), and Japanese (20%).

Another reason why Americans are having trouble falling asleep — taking up to 26 minutes to nod off — is that their men lead the world in snoring, with 29% snoring every night.

However, Japan, where economic growth has shrunk for the last four quarters, has the most number of sleep-deprived managers, with 97% sleeping less than eight hours a night. While 20% of managers surveyed admit to work-related stress keeping them awake, other causes for their insomnia remain a mystery — none of them ever discuss their sleep patterns with managers or colleagues, compared with the global average of 30%.

“People lose sleep either because they cannot sleep (insomnia) or because they are not setting aside enough time for sleep — both of which can happen because of work-related stress in the current economic environment,” says Dr David White, chief medical officer for Philips Home Healthcare Solutions. Philips is a leader in the sleep management market and the treatment of Obstructive Sleep Apnea.

“People need to take sleep more seriously,” adds White in a May 18 press release about the report.

Most managers are fully aware of the negative effects brought about by sleep deprivation, says the report. Almost all (96%) recognise that inadequate sleep can seriously affect a person’s health. But only 27% seek professional help — the rest talk about their problems with family and friends.

“Sleep is not optional — it is absolutely critical to people’s health,” says White. “The consequences of not sleeping enough are well documented. People who do not get enough sleep can gain weight, are prone to diabetes, high blood pressure and even heart attacks.”

So which country’s managers get a good night’s rest? The Dutch, who manage six hours and 38 minutes on average, are sleeping 24 minutes longer than any other nation surveyed. They are also largely unaffected by the worsening economic climate, with 85% saying it was not a problem, and virtually none of them are losing sleep over world events or money worries.

This article appeared in Manager@work, the monthly management pullout of The Edge Malaysia, Issue 756, May 25-31, 2009.

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